Mums stop breastfeeding after six weeks (From Basingstoke Gazette)
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Mums stop breastfeeding after six weeks
11:00am Wednesday 18th July 2012 in Local
NEARLY 80 per cent of mothers in a primary care trust partnership area, including Basingstoke, stop breastfeeding their new-borns after six weeks of giving birth.
The statistics from the Southampton, Hampshire, Isle of Wight and Portsmouth Primary Care Trust (SHIP PCT) cluster have highlighted concerns that mothers are not giving their young babies the nutrients they need in the early stages of their lives.
Dr Ruth Milton, NHS Hampshire, on behalf of the directors of public health for the SHIP PCT Cluster, said: “Becoming a parent is a life-changing event, and there’s so much information available that it can become quite overwhelming.
“Breastfeeding gives infants lifelong, significant health benefits, and is also associated with a reduction in the risk of breast and ovarian cancers in women – and it can help mums shed any excess ‘baby weight’.”
Breast milk contains all the nutrients that babies need to avoid illnesses, such as gastroenteritis, respiratory and ear infections, in the first six months of their lives.
Dr Milton said: “Midwives and health visitors are also fantastic sources of advice and guidance so don’t be afraid to ask for help.”
